1981 Cincinnati Bengals season

NFL season
team = Cincinnati Bengals
year = 1981
record = 12-4-0
division_place =1st, AFC Central
coach = Forrest Gregg
stadium = Riverfront Stadium
playoffs = Lost Super BowlThe 1981 Cincinnati Bengals season was the team's 14th year in professional football and its 12th with the National Football League. The Bengals unveiled new uniforms with tiger-striped helmets, jerseys and pants. They had at least a share of the AFC Central lead the entire season and, on Dec. 13, Ken Anderson threw two touchdown passes as the Bengals clinched the division with a 17-10 win over the Steelers. Anderson led the NFL in passing with a 98.5 rating. On Jan. 3, the Bengals beat Buffalo, 28-21, in an AFC Divisional Playoff game. A week later, playing in their first AFC Championship Game, the Bengals defeated San Diego, 27-7, at Riverfront Stadium in a temperature of nine degrees below zero with a wind-chill factor of minus 59. In Super Bowl XVI on Jan. 24 in Pontiac, Mich., the Bengals trailed 20-0 at halftime and lost to San Francisco, 26-21.

Offseason

NFL Draft

Regular Season

eason Standings

eason Schedule

Roster

Postseason

AFC Divisional Playoff

*January 3 Buffalo W 28-21 55,420 Riverfront

AFC Championship Game

*January 10 San Diego W 27-7 46,302 Riverfront

uper Bowl

*January 24 San Francisco L 21-26 81,270 Pontiac Silverdome

Awards and records

*Ken Anderson, NFL MVP [ NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book, Workman Publishing Co, New York,NY, ISBN 0-7611-2480-2, p. 400 ]
*Ken Anderson, Franchise Record (since broken), Touchdown Passes, 29 Passes [ NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book, Workman Publishing Co, New York,NY, ISBN 0-7611-2480-2, p. 37 ]
*Ken Anderson, Led NFL, Passer Rating, 98.4 Rating [ NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book, Workman Publishing Co, New York,NY, ISBN 0-7611-2480-2, p. 447 ]

Milestones

*Ken Anderson, Franchise Record (since broken), Most Touchdown Passes in One Season, 29 Passes [ NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book, Workman Publishing Co, New York,NY, ISBN 0-7611-2480-2, p. 37 ]
*Cris Collinsworth, 1st 1,000 Yard Receiving Season (1,009 yards) [ NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book, Workman Publishing Co, New York,NY, ISBN 0-7611-2480-2, p. 442 ]
*Pete Johnson, 1,000 Yard Rushing Season (1,077 yards) [ NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book, Workman Publishing Co, New York,NY, ISBN 0-7611-2480-2, p. 437 ]

References

* [http://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/cin/1981.htm Bengals on Pro Football Reference]
* [http://www.jt-sw.com/football/pro/results.nsf/Teams/1981-cin Bengals Schedule on jt-sw.com]
* [http://www.bengals.com/team/history/1981.asp Bengals History on Official Site]